Dear Kids,
Satan is so sneaky. Very sneaky.
You started watching a cartoon series on Saturday mornings called "The Dragon Prince". It was a little more of a mature cartoon than what you've watched in the past, but every time I sat down to watch it, it had great adventures and good characters.
Well, evidently I didn't sit down and watch it long enough with you. You ended up getting into the 3rd season of it, and when I sat down with you yesterday morning (Saturday mornings are episode days), they showed on the cartoon two of the male characters kissing each other!
Unbelievable.
I sat down and talked with you all about it. "So, when the two boy characters kissed each other, you understand that isn't okay right?"
Your word answer didn't bother me. You all said, "Yes mom, we know. We knew it wasn't right, we understand why."
But what DID bother me was your heart answer. You all rolled your eyes. You gave a snort of "yeah, whatever, we know it isn't okay, but come on mom, give us a break and back off okay?"
Your hearts were not in your answer. Your hearts wanted to brush me away. Your hearts wanted to brush the conversation away. I asked if anything like that had happened before on the show and you told me that there was one time they showed two girls kissing as well.
Sneaky job Satan. Very sneaky.
We then talked about how something can be cool, fun, appealing, and even 90% good messages. But when Satan uses a kids cartoon to put sneaky messages in there about homosexuality, it's no longer cool, fun or good.
Satan is so good at sneaking. He knew that I didn't sit down and watch episodes with my kids on Saturday morning. That's my sleep in day. Of course I don't sit down and watch them all. I check up on the kids, I watch for a few minutes here and there to get the idea of the story.
The other part that bothered me is that it happened before, quite a few episodes ago, and you didn't tell me. None of the kids told me about it.
That was the BIGGEST thing that bothered me about the situation. They didn't think to stop watching, or talk to me, or anything of the like.
It's about the heart of the matter. Our hearts need more work in our family. We've been too head based. I've done a great job setting a foundation of the gospel, questions, learning, critical thinking, but your hearts are not in it. More than anything it's a fight to have a lesson, to get into the scriptures, to do anything that is "holy and good".
"Kind is different than good." - Into the Woods.
Your dad and I have been taking the last 30 days to do a complete mind overhaul. It's been beautiful and amazing. It's been quite phenomenal to see the thought pattern changes that are happening for us. One of the things that is changing within myself is knowing that our family needs heart work. To FEEL the music of the gospel, not just learn the steps and check it off the list.
That is one of my biggest messages of my life, is that the gospel is not a checklist... yet my kids only relate to the gospel as just that.
Time for some heart work.
When this all happened, I didn't respond with fear. I was very grateful for that. I didn't freak up and jump up and start coming unglued. But I was pondering what was happening with my kids... not just with this, but with everything in our lives.
I love you. I hope that you all know, and come to know. that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has the answers.
Yes, there are lesbians and gay couples out there. Yes, we have them in our family. Yes, I love them. But NO, it is not according to the law of God, that He has put into place on the earth. Having this media introduce things into my home was actually a blessing, something that turned into a blessing, because it gave me an opportunity for pondering. Making sure my kids know the "why" behind what we believe, and that Satan wants to normalize everything that is sexual.
Let me just say this... Sex should not be just "normalized". It is a beautiful part of who we are. It's not just normal, it's beautiful and wonderful.
I love you,
Your Mom
